Free College Textbooks for Ohio Students; University System of Ohio and Flat World Knowledge Team Up to Expand Access to College Textbooks and Measure Student Learning

COLUMBUS, March 9, 2011 – Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut today announced a joint pilot program between the University System of Ohio and Flat World Knowledge, the largest publisher of free and open college textbooks for students worldwide. The program will allow 1,000 Ohio students to receive digital textbooks for free.

Faculty in the pilot who select Flat World textbooks for their courses, and agree to participate in a research project focused on student learning, can offer their students free access to the Flat World Knowledge suite of digital learning materials and low-cost access to print textbooks.

“The University System of Ohio works hard every day to provide students with low-cost options that promote student learning,” said Chancellor Eric Fingerhut. “This innovative pilot will evaluate cost-effective options for Ohio college students and set the stage for significant system-wide savings.”

More Information

Under the program, students will be able to choose from a variety of textbook formats, including an online version, e-books for the iPad, Kindle and other e-readers, audiobooks, PDF downloads, and interactive study aids. The digital files are non-expiring and not digital rights management (DRM) copy-protected, allowing students to transfer the content from device to device. Students who prefer a printed book will have the option to purchase a low-cost softcover copy.

Faculty and students can also participate in best practices workshops focused on getting the most value from the emerging digital learning environment.

“Skyrocketing textbook prices are a major contributor to the cost of higher education,” said Eric Frank, president and co-founder of Flat World Knowledge. “This new partnership creates a framework for reducing college costs and improving learning outcomes. Everybody benefits from equal access and choice of educational materials.”

Core Facts

The 1,000 licenses for digital texts and study aids from Flat World Knowledge were purchased in bulk by the Ohio Board of Regents to encourage faculty to use innovative digital learning materials in their courses and drive down out-of-pocket textbook costs for students, helping make college more affordable – a key strategy in Ohio’s 10-year Strategic Plan for Higher Education.

Faculty interested in participating in the pilot should email Associate Vice Chancellor Darlene McCoy, [email protected] For more information on Ohio’s effort to help make textbooks more affordable for college students, please visit: http://ohiotextbookhq.ning.com/.

Flat World Knowledge content is published under a Creative Commons open license that grants substantial flexibility to faculty to customize the peer-reviewed materials for their specific classes. Coupled with the ability of students to read the textbooks on-line at no cost, this business model supports Ohio’s teaching and learning model- faculty retain their autonomy in selecting the textbook of their choice and students have a variety of low and no-cost formats to serve their learning preferences.

Faculty at Miami University of Ohio, Columbus State Community College, Wright State University, Kent State University, Ohio University, the University of Dayton and the University of Toledo are among 1,600 professors at over 900 colleges worldwide who have used Flat World open textbooks. For more information on Flat World Knowledge, visit their website at http://www.flatworldknowledge.com.

Company information

Flat World Knowledge is the largest publisher of free and open college textbooks for students worldwide. Committed to making higher education more affordable and accessible, the company provides students with free online access to complete, peer-reviewed textbooks, with options to purchase affordable print and digital formats, including e-books, audio books, PDF downloads and interactive study aids. Flat World’s open license and online editing platform enable professors to modify the content and create the “perfect book” for their course. To date, more than 1,600 professors at over 900 colleges in 44 countries have used Flat World open textbooks. To learn more, visit www.flatworldknowledge.com; follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/flatworldknowledge; and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/flat_world.